MANILA, PHILIPPINES — This year, Pride Goes LIT! By reimagining people’s favorite classic stories with Pride, after centuries of stories and books, barely representing LGBTQIA+. Pride@Tech, a non-profit equality organization composed of LGBTQ+ volunteers and allies, in collaboration with Google, Facebook, IBM, Globe, with creative digital agency Propel Manila, celebrates Pride 2021 by making LGBTQ+ stories known.
Introducing RETOLD WITH PRIDE. Retelling classic iconic stories, this time with Pride. Stories like Pride and No Prejudice, Dragula, The Gay Gatsby, Life of Bi, Little Women Loving Women, including local classics like Ibong Adana, Florante at Awra, Si Malakas at si Makisig have been given LGBTQ+ representation, covering themes of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, love, sex, dating, coming out, and acceptance. The stories were written by Yenee Galicia, Austin, Tan, Eunice Maximo, and illustrated by Hayami Kudo, Nichole Sanchez, Marsh Mitra, Gab Pescadero, Brent Guzman, Ella Mercado, Arnel Villanueva, Roxette Gagal, Yuko Maki, and Third Lorenzo. At the live reading on June 26, the stories were performed by popular LGBTQ+ artists, educators, activists like Leeroy New, Mela Habijan, Queenmelo Esguerra, Macoydubs, Anthony Falcon, Justin Melo, and other LGBTQIA+ creators and poets like Joti Tabula, Duane Pascua, Yanyan Gervero, and Redge Tolentino.
Representation has always been at the heart of Pride. To live your truth, to be who you are, to love who you want to love, is a kind of protest many of LGBTQIA+ are making not just on Pride month but every day: to present and represent ourselves through our stories, to make our stories known.
“Stories are powerful. As creators, we aim to give the right and enough representation to the LGBTQIA+ community. Because representation matters. Representation creates perception. Perception shapes culture, and ultimately, shapes our reality” says Propel Manila Chief Creative, Raymund Sison.
Supporting the campaign are Regine Velasquez, Iza Calzado, Angie King, Mari Jasmine, IC Mendoza, Armi Millare, Michael Carandang, Macoydubs, Jarlo Base, Patrick Martin, Congresswoman Geraldine Roman, including equality groups like Love Is All We Need, National Inclusion Council of the Philippines, among many others.
“The truth is most of us grew up with little or close-to-none references and representation to how we identify with. We wanted to change this and we wanted to make our stories known,” says Propel Manila Chief Executive JC Valenzuela.
Through this campaign, timeless tales have been given beautiful, meaningful makeovers. According to Pride@Tech, even after Pride month, these stories will be turned into videos made available online, with a podcast solely dedicated to retelling classic stories with Pride. So watch out for more of these stories. And if you want to make your own and contribute, please connect with Pride@Tech or Propel Manila on Facebook or email gheck@propelmanila.com.
